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Michael Zunica is
Friends of Tolentine Man of the Year 2011

Michael Zunica is Friends of Tolentine Man of the Year 2011.

He received this honor at the organization's annual Man/Woman of the Year Dinner October 20, 2011.

Zunica currently serves as Athletic Director and coach at St. Rita of Cascia High School, Chicago, Illinois.

He was selected to receive this award in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the Augustinian community, to Catholic education in general and to St. Rita of Cascia High School in particular.

He is noted for his endless efforts to attract great families to St. Rita and for his compassion for students and families in need. He has spent countless hours on many committees to assist the Augustinians in their mission.

Zunica has given special effort to connecting with St. Rita alumni to encourage them to support the school. He is a friend, mentor and confidant to many colleagues.

He has served as head baseball coach at St. Rita since 1997. He was Director of Endowment in 1998 and 1999. He served as Director of Development for the school from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2009. He was appointed Athletic Director at St. Rita in 2009 and continues to serve in this role.

Although Zunica is a graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School, Chicago, he was in 2000 named an honorary alumnus of St. Rita in recognition of his dedication to the school.

Zunica holds a B. A. in Business Administration from St. Xavier University, Chicago. He was inducted into the St. Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

Other recognitions include Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Area Coach of the Year (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010), Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Coach of the Year (2005, 2009), Southtown Star Coach of the Year (2004) and winner of the Chicago Catholic League’s Tony Lawless Award (2004, 2005, 2007).

Zunica is devoted to his wife Jaqui and his children Camille, Mikey and Mateo, and sees himself as a role model of faith for his family.

The Friends of Tolentine is a group of lay men and women who foster and support vocations to the Augustinian Order. The organization has its roots in separate men's and women's groups, Men of Tolentine and Ladies of Tolentine, organized in 1958 by the late Very Rev. John L. Seary, O.S.A., then Provincial of the Augustinians of the Midwest. In 2009 the men’s group began welcoming women as members, changing its name to Friends of Tolentine. Since 1958 the organization has contributed more than $700,000 to support Augustinian formation programs. The largest part of this amount has come from the annual Man/Woman of the Year event, held each October.

More information about the Friends of Tolentine may be obtained by calling Jack Vlazny, President, at 708-403-0358.

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If you desire more information or wish to discuss ways in which you can support the men, mission and ministries of the Augustinians, here's how you can contact Augustinian Director Michael Gerrity.